"Lima - city of Kings" a Lima Travel Page by world_citizen

Most backpackers pass through Lima because it's a big dirty city and they want to get to Cusco, the jungle and Titicaca. But Lima was once the centre of the virreynato - the Spanish colonial South American Empire and the centre is a UNESCO world heritage site. It's got beautiful architecture there, great shopping in the centre and Miraflores and the most friendly people of a capital city I've ever met. It also has good nightlife in Miraflores and Barranco, especially for single guys!

Visit the catacumbas and the church of San Francisco, surprisingly interesting! Take a walk down jiron del union to do some shopping, check out the plaza de armas and plaza san martin and soak up the colonial architecture. Have lunch in the barrio chino, Lima's chinatown!

On a saturday, sunday or public holiday go to the festival de la comida where there is a food festival on the street off the main square in Barranco which sells food from all over Peru. You can then take a walk down to the mirador for a view over the Pacific, ignore the drugdealers in Barranco (who will rip you off) and have a drink in Juanito's bar on the plaza - an old school bar which sometimes receives visits from the best magician Ive ever seen.
Spend an afternoon checking out the trendy shops of Miraflores and then go out at night there. El tayta and pollos pierre are good for drinking, gato azul and tequila rocks good for dancing and pulling.